"I have a check from our Brotherhood Lodge and all Masons in Michigan for the special needs children," Burnside said. "Half of the money is from our (local) lodge and half from the Grand Lodge of Michigan."

Burnside said they hold fund-raisers throughout the year specifically to help out different organizations and last year, they had a very successful one.

"This was one of the projects," he said, noting that fellow Mason Jeff Green had a son in the Golden's classroom. "Our Grand Lodge matches 100 percent of what we make, so that helps us out."

Golden said the money went towards horseback riding at Banbury Cross, a therapeutic riding facility in Metamora Twp.

"We are very fortunate we have people that are willing to donate to us," she said.

"We also did fund-raising throughout the year. We do (one at) Big Boy (restaurant) twice a year where our students go and help out and try to invite people from the middle school and Oxford community come. Fifty percent of the sales go to us and students also get to practice the skills we work on in the classroom."